Many people indulge dogs by feeding them table scraps now and then. Dogs are also experts in sniffing out smelly, tasty food lying around and quickly gulping it down before you can snatch it away. So knowing what foods are toxic to dogs is helpful in preventing an accidental poisoning If you suspect your dog has ingested a toxic food, seek veterinary attention immediately.

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Fruits, Vegetables and Nuts

Grapes and Raisins - Eating as few as 4 to 5 grapes or raisins can be poisonous to a 20 pound (9 kg) dog, though the exact toxic dose will vary between dogs. Signs of toxicity occur within 24 hours and can start within few hours.

Avocados(entire plant: leaves, fruit, seeds and bark) - contain Persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs, and also trigger difficulty breathing, fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen and heart, or pancreatitis. It is under debate as to whether or not the actual meat and oils are poisonous to dogs, with no scientific conclusions at this time. Note that avocado meat and oils are used in some dog products and foods.

Action: Take your pet to your vet or emergency clinic. The vet may start by inducing vomiting, or the stomach might be pumped (gastric lavage). Treatment involves aggressive supportive care including fluid therapy and medications.

Onions, Garlic, Chives - can cause the destruction of red blood cells known as Heinz body anemia, a form of hemolytic anemia. No clear quantity has been established as to the onset of the anemia. But for garlic, if your dog consumes the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of garlic for every 10 pounds of their weight (1 teaspoon for a 10 pound dog) it can destroy red blood cells. Poisonous reaction can result from raw, cooked or dried onions, garlic, chives, including those included in powdered or dehydrated forms. Avoid all foods that contain onions or onion variants (such as spagetti sauce).

Possible Outcomes: can cause irreversible damage to the kidneys, death.

Action: Take your pet to the vet or emergency clinic for care. The vet may administer blood transfusions and/or oxygen, followed by fluid therapy.

Tomato Plants (unripe tomatoes or the plant part)- tomatoes contain tomatine, an alkaloid related to solanine and atropine. As the fruit ripens, the tomatine is metabolized. Therefore, ripened, red tomatoes are not likely to be harmful to a dog when eaten.

Tomato plants (the vines, stems and leaves), however, are toxic and can cause serious symptoms if eaten by a dog.

Green, unripened tomatoes can also be potentially harmful, but contain less of the toxic chemicals - tomatine and atrophine - than the plant parts and therefore might simply cause stomach upset.

Atropine is concentrated in the vines and leaves of a tomato plant and can cause dilated pupils, tremors, and heart arrhythmias. Tomatine triggers abnormalities with the nervous system, kidneys and digestive tract.

Raw and Green Potatoes - eating potatoes that are green or have a distinctive green rim between the peel and inside can be toxic because of solanum alkaloids that can cause solanine poisoning. Symptoms of solanine ingestion can include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, cardiac dysrhythmia, headache and dizziness.

Therefore, green potatoes should not be eaten by human or dog as they may get sick. Raw potatoes also contain oxalates (like tomatoes) which dogs can react to. Oxalates can trigger abnormalities with the nervous system, kidneys and digestive tract.

Note: Cooked potatoes appear to be fine for dogs and can be found in many commercial dog foods.

Mushrooms (wild / poisonous) - some mushrooms, (not all!) can contain toxins are very dangerous for dogs, and in the worst cases, can result in the death.

Common white mushrooms appear to be safe for dogs to eat and are not considered dangerous foods for dogs. However, wild mushrooms are often poisonous.

The majority of fatal cases of poisoning are by the death cap mushroom (Amanita Phalloides), which are thankfully not used in cooking. It is best to consider all wild mushrooms potentially toxic to dogs.

For death cap mushrooms symptoms include: profuse bloody diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, dehydration, fever, and a rapid heart beat which lasts for approximately 24 hours. The next phase results in death within 3 to 7 days.

Action: Take your dog to the vet immediately. If possible collect a sample of the mushroom your dog has eaten for identification of the species of mushroom. There is a new procedure for mushroom poisoning in dogs that can be discussed with your vet. Note: Do not store the mushrooms in a plastic bag. Use a paper bag, moist paper towel, or wax paper.

Action: Take your pet to the vet immediately. In some cases, antidotes are available. Other treatments include oxygen therapy, fluids and supportive care.

Tree nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, pistachios, and Brazil nuts - are often contaminated with very low levels of the poison Aflatoxin, which comes from the Aspergillus mold. Although levels are safe for humans, dogs are acutely sensitive to this poison, and even low levels of Aflatoxin can be extremely toxic and lead to complications such as gastroenteritis.

Other varieties of nuts such as walnuts can cause various other dog illnesses and dog poisoning. Nuts also have a high phosphorus content which causes the formation of bladder stones in dogs.

Peanut butter (non-salted) appears to be non-toxic to dogs, although peanuts themselves may have ill-effects on your dog.

Symptoms of gastroenteritis include: persistent vomiting (sometimes bile may be seen in the vomit), dehydration and watery diarrhea. Lethargy, lack of appetite, stomach grumbling, and general listlessness.

These episodes can be either acute (short lived), or last for several days.

Action: Take your dog to the vet for immediate treatment.

Macadamia Nuts - generally consumption will not be fatal, but can cause your dog to become extremely ill. The toxin in the nut is not known. Ingestion of just a handful of nuts can cause adverse effects. As few as six macadamia nuts can trigger locomotory difficulties in dogs. Toxicity will typically evince within 6 to 24 hours.

Action: Take your pet to the vet if symptoms are not abating or large quantity of nuts is consumed. Dogs are typically treated symptomatically and recover uneventfully within 1 to 2 days. In-hospital supportive care may be recommend for dogs that become very sick.

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Comments on this Article

I have had dogs for 30 + yrs, had a Shepard lived to 18.5 yrs old, vet at 16 yrs said didn't believe he as 10 yrs, I give my dog anything that I eat, if they so choose, I believe its more about the dosage you give, and by giving in small amounts they will build an immunity to it, for example chocolate giving a piece I believe is what kept that Sheppard alive and healthy after he comsumed a large amount by stealing it :-) , I also give them all bones, they say bones are dangerous, lol, mine even eat most bird bones, they know they will get so they don't get over excited allowing them to chew and swallow, if you don't ever give them bones, when they do get one they are so excited they scarf them down in seconds not allowing them to chew properly, hence choking and scratches to internal system, what do you think dogs eat in the wild?

Sorry I forgot to mention his test results. He had low blood pressure, slow heart rate, and certain things from his bloodwork were elevated but the liver count is supposed to be around 100, his was at 2300, the next day after some antibiotics it was at 1700, a week after it was 500. So luckily the liver repaired itself and no surgery was needed. If it didn't work a liver biopsy would have only been the start.

My dogs have a large backyard to run and play. They will eat almost anything (I think). My male was acting strange at night for 2 weeks, he didn't want to come in at night. So the night we had to rush him to the vet was strange, it was dark and we couldn't see him. So I sent my girl to find him, she went right to him. He was almost unconscious, breathing heavily, his mouth was blue, he was cold, and limp (he couldn't stand). We think it might have been from small tiny mushrooms in the yard but can't be certain. The vet told me it could cost anywhere from $2500-$5000 to get them tested, we cannot afford that and then what happens if they were not the cause.

There is no chemical substance in nature that has been more misunderstood than cyanide. Our boxer has apricot kernels everyday since a tumour at age 9. She is now 13 years young and tumour-free. They are so bitter, we crush them for her old teeth and she loves them - our other 2 boxers will not touch them. Bonnie also eats the apple core with seeds when my son shares his apple.

Umm......I've been feeding my small mixed terrier dog almost everything on this list since she was a puppy. She'll be 15 in august, and still races around like a puppy. No health issues at all. Maybe some dogs just have allergies to these foods like some humans do, and that's why they get sick? If dogs can have epilepsy, cancer, arthritis, and other similar diseases and health problems as us, is it really so hard to believe that some dogs just have allergies to some foods? :/

I'm quite surprised by some things on this list and I disagree with some. I have a 4 year old Min Pin I've been feeding avacado meat to for as long as I can remember with no problems. I also put some garlic powder in her big crock pots of food I make for her every 3 weeks. I got this from the 3 white dogs cook book. As for mushrooms, the greatest mycologist on earth, Paul Stamets sells all sorts of mushroom treats for dogs on his web site fungi.com. As well I give my dog bites of cooked mushrooms from time to time. Usually portobellas or what ever mushroom I'm cooking. I also give my dogs bites of walnuts and pecans from time to time as well. The only time I've ever seen her get sick from nuts is when she got into a whole can of mixed nuts and ate the whole can, then she was vomitting but because she was swallowing the nuts almost whole and not digesting them properly. My dog has been super healthy for 4 years but I will keep this list in mind.